Sales (in Europe) of the Renault Master Z.E. are to begin less than one year from now – by the end of 2017.

A few additional details (no price announced yet) are in the press release below:

Master Z.E.: Renault’s expertise in electric vehicles soon available in a large van

Master Z.E. gains the Z.E. expertise of Renault, European leader in electric vehicles, while maintaining all the qualities that have made Master a benchmark in the heavy van sector.

Renault Master Z.E.

This electric version of Master is aimed primarily at fleets running last-mile distribution services in the city, as well as large municipalities and local government. This heavy van’s load characteristics, range and charge time are tailored to the needs of business customers in and around cities.

Master Z.E. is equipped with the “Z.E. 33” battery (33 kWh) and fitted with the R75, an engine of advanced energy efficiency,with output of 57 kW/76 hp, inherited from ZOE. Master Z.E. has a range of 200 km NEDC.

Master Z.E. takes less than one night to charge: a full charge takes six hours with the 7 kW WallBox.

Yes it is a shame.
Renault seems to have different battery pack designs for their cars and their vans.
I guess this van pack is shared with the nissan van.
So its probably not compatible with the cell format in the car pack.
May be useful for deliveries in London and big cities
Possibly useful for people in the trades who don’t travel far from home

Yeah, they have a 41kWh battery in the Zoe – why not use at least the very same pack in this? And why no 22kW or 43kW quick charge? 43kW could replenish almost the full range in a lunch break. Don’t get it…

Yeah. . . I’m REALLY looking for a car like this. In a minibus configuration with maybe 9-13 seats.
And not to mention a 50-100kWh battery.
It’s not like a battery of that size would take up too much space. The Master is a huge van.
I bet if Tesla made it, it would fit a 250kWh battery in it, at least as an option.
Pay for what you need.

I would have liked a 350km real world winter range. A smaller battery would require more charging, which would reduce the life of the battery. And with 33kWh, a faster charging time would be nice.

For me, a 33kWh battery is useless. I would have to charge several times a day, probably.

With out work van, I drive at most 75-80km away from the home base, but I need to get back to base – AND be able to drive to the next customer right away. The battery size must be big enough to last until lunch, and be able to charge the battery during the luch (30 minutes). Then it has to last until the end of the day. It could then slow charge during the night. Ready for a new day.
EVERYBODY I have talked to, who are interested in an electric van (including small vans like the Kangoo Z.E) wants this – and there is no such car on the market.

The manufacturers does not know what people want – or they do not want to sell many electric vans.
Think of the number of km a van drives a day, compared to the average passenger car. Think of the environmental benefits a proper electric van, with a proper range could do.

We’re a small company, with about 10 vans in the Kangoo size, and 3 in the Master size, and a few trucks as well. We drive a few hundred thousand km a year in total.
This is where the manufacturers should focus their energy.
Just in fuel, the company would save a LOT.

This is a useless range in most of Europe as well. Unless the company is located in a small city, and only drives in that city.

This range is an insult, and it pisses me off. I/We have been looking to replace a number of vans, and have waited and waited for an electric model to arrive.

Looks like we’re s*** out of luck. It is obvious THEY DO NOT WANT to sell electric cars in numbers. This will be for the few, and not the masses.

All other businesses I’ve talked to, who’s looking for electric vans need a longer range. It must last until lunsh, and must be able to charge enough in those 30 minutes to last the rest of the day. Then it can slow charge over night.

Maybe they need to burn through a set number of these packs to fulfill an existing contract with some supplier. While the Kangoo could do alright with 33kWh, I’m skeptical that this will work well with the van loaded and/or in winter. Except for some very narrow cases.

Their strategy might also involve a refresh within a couple of years, and then they might offer the 41kWh pack .. seems standard Renault-Nissan planning to me.

But again 7kW charging when 22kW is available?
The could be fine, especially since this type of car is mostly underway in urban areas.
Yes I know the Merc Sprinter are often confused with racing cars, especially on German Autobahns, but still… 😉

This fits for Euro delivery routes, its intended for inner cities where use is on low speed routes, and distances are short. The van sits all night so fast charging is not necessary, battery durability will likely be better with slower charging, and will not impact demand rates.

This would be a great product 3-4 years ago, but now it is kind of eyebrow-raising.
Unless they come out with a bigger battery, QC-equipped trim within 1-2 years, and this is just the beta version to get some data.

I believe that is about EU legislation. This will be probably registed as a light cargo van up to 3.500kg. If the van only with this pack weight 2.500kg you will have 1000kg of available weight of cargo to carry. With a 50Kw battery that is heavier you will have less weight in cargo to carry and so on. I haven’t read the specs so I assume the van may weight 2,500 kg.

The 33 kWh battery makes sens for several reasons:
– It’s the same as for the Kangoo (economy of scale to get cost down)
– Legislation (<3.5 t)
– sufficient for target market

This type of vehicle (in Europe) is used for three kinds of purposes:
s) long range high speed couriers (as they are not speed limited like light commercial trucks on the Autobahn, they can go for 100s or even 1000 kilometers a day, at 160 km/h or more top speed).
b) short range delivery vehicle for parcel service or local business in denser populated areas (like for bakery chains for stocking multiple sales outlets in the early morning)
c) vehicle for local contractors (one ride to the job site in the morning, and back home in the evening; several runs for smaller jobs less distant).

Obviously, target market is group b) and c), as group a) would need a 200 kWh pack + supercharging capability. Thats 6 vehicles worth of 33 kWh batteries, more revenue for Renault.

b) and c) can charge at night or during breaks for reloading at home base.

Also, there is currently no real competition, aside from Deutsche Post, the parcel service that opted to built it's own delivery vehicles in house as none of the established manufacturers wanted to sell them EVs. Target for 2017 is 10000 (yes, 4 zeros) units, after ~2000 delivered in 2016 (which are never mentioned in statistics, for unknown reasons, but the vehicles are driving around delivering mail and parcels).

BTW: Swiss Postal Service has just retired the last (of once 7500) ICE scooters in favor of a total of now ~6300 E-Bikes, Scooters and e-trikes)

“Sadly, the pack is much smaller than in ZOE (41 kWh), which makes us wonder why Renault would choose this low-range route?”

Because Renault have done their research properly (unlike most people who have considered and then rejected the idea of buying an EV as well as the UK government who basically haven’t the faintest idea what they are doing) and know *exactly* where they are aiming this vehicle, that’s why!

And where it is aimed is at the delivery and relatively heavy/bulky trades (eg builders/plumbers/electricians etc) which operate in and around London and other large cities, many of which already have congestion (emission) zones and where the daily mileage is about half what even this van can do. Furthermore, virtually *all* of it is done at less than 30mph, at or below which the van’s relatively large (for an EV) physical size (ie frontal area) is nearly irrelevant in terms of energy use.

If you want an EV van you should all take a look at the LDV (SAIC) EV80. Available in 2 wheelbases and 3 roof heights and with a 55Kwh battery as standard with an optional 75Kwh battery.

I drove a LHD demonstrator around Silverstone in October and it’s a very nice van and NOT to be confused with the old LDV Maxus as it is only in name that it has any thing in common. All the panels are much thicker, stronger and it’s all very well put together. I should know I drive a 2008 LDV all day!

Real range on the 55Kwh battery was 115-130 miles (again I know I’ve seen it/done it). Probably 160-185 miles on the 75Kwh battery but this will impact weight carrying.

The Chinese postal service have ordered 5000 of them and they are already on sale in Aus/New Zealand.